Sick but Beatiful
by redrose7856
Summary: Kyro. Pyro is sent to kidnap Kitty for the Brotherhood. He rescues her from a gang of mutant haters and takes her to camp. But can he surrender the sick and hurt girl to Magneto?
1. Chapter 1

Sick but Beautiful

Disclaimer: I own nothing. I don't own Kitty or Pyro, which is probably a good thing, seeing as if I did, he'd never have turned evil. I don't own X-men and probably not even this idea. There. Please don't sue me.

Pyro stepped into Magneto's tent.

"You wanted to see me?" he asked. His leader nodded and tossed him a scrap of paper that was paper clipped to a photo of someone. Pyro couldn't see the face. "What is it?" he asked.

"Your next assignment. Bring her to me, alive. Take Callisto and Quill with you." Magneto ordered before turning his back to the youth. Pyro hurried out and immediately looked at the photo. A gasp tore itself from his body: Magneto wanted Kitty Pryde.

XXXXXXXXXXXXX

Pyro knew Kitty……sort of. She was only a year younger than him, but she'd spent most of her time with Jubilee or off studying. The two of them didn't really hang out that much. He looked again at the photo. She was a cute kid, with brown hair, brown eyes and a sweet smile. Pyro shook his head and jammed the photo into his pocket. Kitty Pryde wasn't "cute" to him. She was the enemy. She was the target….Nothing more.

XXXXXXXXXXXXX

Kitty coughed as she entered her home, staggering with the weight of her suitcase.

"Mom? Dad! I'm home." She called. Her parents didn't reply, and Kitty saw a note was taped to the banister railing. She grabbed it and read it:

Kitty,

We're picking up something special for dinner. We'll be back soon. Welcome home!

Love,

Mom and Dad

Kitty sighed and lugged her suitcase upstairs to her bedroom. Then she went into the kitchen for a drink. They were out of milk, she noticed. _I'll run and get some._ She grabbed her wallet and headed out. It was cold and rainy out. Kitty sneezed several times while she locked the door. Fortunately it was only a short walk to the drug store. The clerk looked up as she stumbled inside.

"What can I get you?" he asked.

"Just some milk." Kitty said before sneezing three times. "…and some cold medicine."

Several minutes later, Kitty walked out with her purchases. She shivered. It had gotten colder. Scarcely had she gone a few steps when someone yanked her into an alley and threw her to the ground, causing her to gasp in pain as she landed, hard.

"What do you want?" she demanded, looking up at the several men who were facing her.

"We want you dead, mutant!" one snarled.

"I don't know what you're talking about." Kitty answered weakly. She tried to phase into the ground, but the only result was a more violent coughing fit. Looking up at her attackers, she was horrified to see that they were carrying chains. "Please." She croaked before the first boot slammed into her stomach. Then the blows rained down on her and all Kitty could do was curl up into a ball.

XXXXXXXXXXXXX

From across the street, Pyro watched as the gang preyed on the helpless young mutant.

"Why doesn't she phase out?" Callisto asked.

"Because she's an idiot who thinks that humans can be talked down?" Quill guessed with a sneer. For some odd reason, Pyro's temper flared at this remark.

"Because she's sick!" he snarled. It was obvious. She'd hacked her way from her house to the store. The girl screamed as one of the men's chains hit her. Pyro's fists clenched. Sure she was one of the X-men, but these guys were just brutal. He felt a surge of rage towards his fellow mutant's attackers. "Let's get 'em!" he snarled, fire already in his hands as he started forward.

XXXXXXXXXXXXX

Rain and a few drops of blood trickled off of Kitty.

"Freak!" one man kept jeering each time that he hit her. Kitty squeezed her eyes shut and sobbed. Would they ever stop? The blows suddenly lessened and the sound of terrified screams took their place.

XXXXXXXXXXXXX

Pyro stepped over the burning corpse of a gang member and extinguished the fireball in his hand. He walked over and looked down at the injured Kitty Pryde. She had a busted lip and a cut on her forehead, but those were the only bleeding injuries. Pyro saw something near his feet and knelt down to pick it up. It was the cold medicine that she'd bought. Pyro heaved a sigh and touched her arm. She shrank back.

"No…..don't do this….please…" she moaned. Pyro was stunned. _She_ was one of the fearless X-Men? Someone needed to rethink her position on the team! The girl started sobbing and Pyro mentally kicked himself. _Get a grip, Pyro! The kid just had the crap beaten outta her! I need to get her calm……how?! What was it that the others sometimes called her?_

"Shadowcat?" he asked hesitantly. Kitty stiffened and then peered up at him, still crying a little. Her brown eyes made Pyro's gut clench: She was scared of him. "It's OK, Shadowcat." He continued in a soothing tone. "You're going to be OK." A strand of brown hair fell into her face and before he could think, his hand reached out and brushed it back. She seemed to freeze for a second, and then began to whimper again.

"I want to go home. _Please._" She begged.

"You're going to be OK, Shadow. I'm going to take care of you." Pyro said gently. He leaned down and picked her up. To his embarrassment, she clung to him, still whimpering. He stared down at her. She was so small, so helpless.

"Pyro, is she alive?" Callisto's voice made him turn, careful not to jostle the girl in his arms. Callisto and Quill were looking at him. "Do we need the gag?" Callisto asked. Pyro shook his head. Quill stepped forward.

"Do you want me to take her?" he asked. Pyro looked at his companion's arms and saw the deadly quills just beneath the surface, saw them piercing the small body in his arms.

"No." The word came out sharper than he'd meant. Both of the other mutants stared at him. "No." Pyro repeated in a gruff tone. "I'll carry her." He then brushed past them and walked off.

XXXXXXXXXXXXX

Pyro nodded his thanks to Arclight, who pulled the tent flap aside for him. He slipped inside, still carrying the pale Kitty. He laid her on the cot and draped a blanket over her shivering form. He pulled out the mutant cuffs that they'd…..procured from the humans and cuffed her to the cot. The cuffs were impenetrable. Then he looked up at her and saw that she was staring at him.

"Y-You're P-P-Pyro." She said between chattering teeth. He nodded. "Are you going to k-kill me?" _If we wanted you dead, Shadow, you'd be in the ground._ Pyro bit back the sarcastic response and simply said:

"No." He grabbed another blanket and draped it over her before patting her arm. "Get some sleep, Shadowcat." He stood to leave and she grabbed his arm.

"P-Please. Don't leave me." She pleaded. He squeezed her hand and sat down beside the bed.

"I'll stay with you until you fall asleep. Does that sound OK, Shadow?" he suggested. She nodded and began to lie back down. "Wait. Hang on a sec." Pyro rummaged in his pocket and pulled out the cough medicine. He measured out the dose and helped her drink it. "There. That should help you feel better." _Magneto's going to want you feeling 100._ She nodded sleepily and laid back. Pyro shifted position, realizing that he might be there for a while. It was only after she'd fallen asleep that he realized he was still holding her hand.


	2. Chapter 2

A/N: Thanks to everyone for either their reviews (all two of you! Yay!) or whatever other kind of reply I got. That was really positive.

Disclaimer: Haven't I been over this? I own nothing! Well, I own some stuff, just nothing in this fanfiction. So please don't sue me.

"In other news, local authorities discovered what is being called a mutant act of terrorism: the bodies of a group of men. Most appear to have been incinerated, but some were either strangled or punctured. As of this moment, no one knows the cause behind the brutal attack, but the local authorities are looking into it. On the political front-!" Fwsht. "The mother bear is only too eager to defend her-!" Fwsht. Logan sighed and watched Jones channel surf by blinking. He stood up and headed off, patting the 11-year old on the back as he passed him. The phone in the hall rang and he grabbed it.

"Xavier's, this is Logan."

"Hi Mr. Logan. This is Charlene Pryde, Katherine's mother."

"Well, that's what I'm calling about. Kitty isn't here."

"Excuse me?"

"Her suitcase is in her room, but she's gone. Is it possible that she might have gone back to get something she forgot?"

"Maybe. I'll ask around and call you back." Logan promised, although he doubted that, even had Kitty made a second trip, it would have taken her this long to get home.

"Thank you." Then Mrs. Pryde hung up. Logan went upstairs to look in the girl's room. It was empty, the bed neatly made. Sighing, he turned to go and nearly ran into a pretty Asian girl. She leapt back with a yelp, electricity appearing in her palm, and Logan recognized her: Jubilee.

"Sorry Logan." She said. "I-I wasn't expecting anyone to be in here, since Kitty left yesterday.

"That's OK." Logan said absently. "Do you know if Kitty came back here last night? Maybe she forgot something?"

"I don't think so. It doesn't seem like her. Kitty's a pretty organized person. Why? She's okay, right?" Jubilee asked, her expression turning into alarm. Logan smiled.

"I'm sure she's fine. I was just curious." He said quickly, not wanting to make the girl nervous. "Anyway, I'll see you later." He called back as he hurried towards the elevator, heading for the Professor's study. When he got there, Storm, Scott and Hank McCoy were already in there, talking, when Logan barged in.

"Now's not the best time, Logan." Scott said coldly. "We're-!"

"Kitty's missing." Logan said bluntly. Immediately all faces in the room paled, with the exception of perhaps Hank.

"What are you talking about?" Storm demanded.

"Her mom called and said she dropped off her suitcase but that's it."

"What do you mean, 'that's it'?" Scott snapped. "Where is she?"

"Gee, I don't know. Let me just ask her." Logan growled.

"Logan." Xavier said sternly. "Now is not the time for sarcasm." _He sounds worried,_ Logan thought.

"What are we gonna do?" Storm asked. She _sounds worried! _

"We need to be careful." Hank warned. "We can't accuse anyone unless we're sure that they're guilty."

"I accuse anyone, Blue, I'll be sure." Logan retorted. Hank's jaw tightened, but he continued,

"I can go make some inquiries. The President needs to know about this." He said goodbye and hurried out.

"I'll retrace her steps. Maybe she had an accident on the way home." Scott said, grabbing his coat.

"Yeah, and her suitcase was just teleported into her room." Logan muttered. Scott either didn't hear or ignored him.

"I'll go ask around her neighborhood." Storm offered. "Maybe she went to say hi to a friend."

"Logan, go with her. Talk to her parents, see what they know." The professor said. He sighed. "I suppose we're going to have to cancel the afternoon classes." Logan and Storm nodded and hurried out.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Jubilee held her breath as Professors Storm and Logan strode past her hiding place. She'd suspected that Logan wasn't telling her everything when he'd been in Kitty's room. He hadn't even noticed that she'd followed him and was now hidden just outside the study.

Seeing that the professors were gone, she stood up and went to see if Professor Xavier would tell her the truth. He was sitting at his desk, staring out the window.

"Hey Professor." Jubilee said cheerfully. He looked up and smiled.

"Jubilee. What do you need?"

"I was just wondering if everything was okay. Professor Summer and the others left in a hurry."

"Oh, nothing's wrong. They just left to run a few errands for me. They'll be gone for a while, so do you think you could tell everyone that classes are cancelled?"

"Sure. I'll spread the good news." Jubilee said with a smile before hurrying out. _OK, so he's not gonna tell me the truth either!_ She went upstairs, looking for Bobby (or Rogue, for that matter. It seemed like they'd been surgically attached lately). She saw him (with Rogue) just coming out of the library and ran to him. "I need to talk to you." He stared at her.

"Jubes, we've got next period together. Couldn't it have waited five minutes?"

"Classes were cancelled." She said distractedly. His blue eyes lit up.

"Hey everyone! Classes were cancelled!" he shouted. Amidst cheers, Jubilee grabbed his arm.

"Kitty…..is….._Missing_." she ground out. His face paled. Jubilee looked around furtively. "We need to talk."

Several minutes later, Jubilee, Bobby, Rogue, Colossus and Siryn were all gathered in Jubilee's room.

"What's the big deal, Jubes? I was beating Piotr at foosball." Siryn complained.

"You wish." The tall Russian grunted.

"Guys, listen up!" Jubilee ordered. "The _reason_ classes got cancelled is because the professors _left_."

"Left to go where?" Rogue asked. Jubilee bit her lip.

"Kitty's missing." She breathed. In the middle of shrieks and yells of "What?" she shushed them. "Professors Logan, Storm and Summers went to go look for her, and Mr. McCoy went to go tell the President!"

"What if they can't find her?" Siryn asked with a slight tremor in her voice. Piotr squeezed her hand.

"They'll find her." Bobby said reassuringly. Jubilee rolled her eyes.

"Sure they will. But will that be before it's too late?" she asked.

"Jubes!" Rogue gasped.

"Look, Kitty is _my_ best friend, and _I_ don't wanna see anything happen to her!" the Asian girl said fiercely. "Are you guys with me?" One by one, the others nodded. Jubilee grinned. "OK, here's the plan…….."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Pyro stirred and opened his eyes, blinking sleepily. He yawned and tried to stretch both arms, but one hand was under something and had gone numb. Confused, he looked at it and saw Kitty Pryde laying on it! Stifling a yelp, he pulled free and leapt up. Kitty stirred and mumbled something, no doubt upset about losing her pillow. Then she rolled over and fell back asleep. Pyro bit back a curse. _What am I still _doing _here? Where's my replacement?!_ As if to answer his question, the tent flap opened and Callisto walked in.

"Have a nice nap?" she asked with a smirk. He glared at her.

"Where's Magneto?"

"He left. Said he'd be back in a few days." She answered.

"What do we do in the meantime?" Pyro demanded.

"Take care of the Kitten. Nurse her back to health and being her training." Callisto responded.

"Who's my replacement?" he persisted. "Quill?" _Don't say Quill._ He thought, glancing down at Kitty. Callisto followed his gaze and smiled.

"No one."

"No one?!" Pyro bellowed.

"You seem to have things well under control." Callisto sneered, zipping out before Pyro could torch her. He sighed and looked down at the girl, startled to see that she was awake and looking back at him. He hurried over.

"Hey. How…..how're you feeling?"

"A little better." She said in a raspy voice. He grabbed a water bottle and helped her drink some.

"You hungry?" he asked. She nodded. Pyro went over to his camping stove and lit it up.

"Breakfast'll be ready in a sec."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Logan pointed to the store.

"That's it." He announced. Storm nodded and they walked inside. The clerk looked up and nodded to them.

"Can I get you anything?" he asked. Logan held up a photo of Kitty.

"You seen this kid?" he asked.

"Uh….yeah. Yeah! She-she came In here last night. Nice kid, polite. She bought milk and cold medicines….let's see, now….paid cash…stuck the change in a donation bucket."

"You remember what happened to her?" Storm asked. The clerk's face paled and he shook his head.

"N-No. I-I don't remember." He stammered. Logan grabbed him by the collar and hauled him halfway over the counter.

"Logan." Storm said warningly.

"Listen, pal." He growled. "The thing is, this kid? She's a _friend_ of mine, you hear that? A _close_ friend! And I wanna know where she is!"

"OK, OK!!! I'll talk!" the clerk yelled. Logan released him and he gulped. "OK. The-the girl. She walked out and then th-this gang jumped her. I-I've seen their work before, so I stayed out of it. Then these three tough looking guys – I think they were mutants – went chargin' over and killed the gang." His voice shook. "Th-the mutants just _blasted_ them! Then one of 'em, a guy, carried the girl off."

"What guy?" Storm asked.

"Uh….I dunno. Bleached hair, kinda scruffy lookin'. He-he had some kinda glove on and used that to burn the gang." Logan and Storm exchanged glances.

"You see anything else?" Logan inquired.

"No…no…wait. One of the gang members ran off." The clerk recalled. Thanking him, the X-men left.

"So Kitty was kidnapped." Logan surmised. "And the fire wielding mutant…?"

"Pyro." Storm said grimly. "Magneto must want Kitty. But _why_?"

"At least we have a lead." Logan said.

"Better than that." Storm replied. "We have a witness."

**A/N Please review. Yeah. And sorry if the characters seem OC, I haven't watched the X-men movies in a while! Enjoy!**


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: Yes, I own nothing. I own my insanity, my wheelie backpack of doom (don't ask, long story) and what little brains I have left. I also own most of the stuff in my room, as well as some other things. I do not, however, own Kitty Pryde or any of the X-men. I also don't own Pyro or any of the Brotherhood. So……..yeah. Please don't sue.

A/N: OK, I got 2 reviews my first chapter? Now I have, like, 8! Which, considering that this is my first fanfic, is really good. So, kudos to all who reviewed or added me to Faves or added me to their alert watch lists. Thanks a lot, guys.

Scott stopped his bike. He'd gone over the same stretch of road for the past two hours. Logan had been right; the chances of Kitty having an accident were microscopic. He sighed. _I hate go back to the mansion empty handed. C'mon, Shadow cat. Where are you?_ Ever since Jean had died, Scott had been miserable. Despite what any therapist said, you never fully got over losing someone you care about. Lately, Scott had skipped out on the students and gone out for a while. Logan had had to cover for him. None of the students had realized that the reason Logan taught them was because Professor Scott had ditched them…….except Kitty. When he actually taught a class, she'd come up to him afterwards and tell him how glad she was to see him. _Whoever you are, if you hurt our Kitty, you won't be able to hide. Anywhere._ Scott vowed silently before revving his engine up and heading back to the mansion. For some odd reason, he decided to go around the mansion before putting away his bike. _More time to think of an explanation for the Professor, _he told himself. As he passed the east wing, he sensed that something was wrong. This sense was proven correct when he heard a squeal and a thud in the bushes. Turning off his motorcycle's engine, Scott leapt off his bike and charged towards the sound. A short, redheaded girl sat beneath the second story window, and he saw a makeshift rope ladder hanging down. The girl looked up at the window.

"I'm OK. I wasn't that far from the bottom……fortunately." She called softly.

"Fortunately indeed." Scott said grimly. The girl flinched and turned to face him. _Siryn_. Scott realized. She smiled sheepishly.

"Oh. Uh, hi Professor Summers. We were just……uh…..testing the durability of our bed sheets. You know, in case anyone attacks like they did last year." She said nervously. Scott raised an eyebrow.

"At night?" he asked.

"Siryn, what's going on?" called a voice from above. Scott looked up to see Colossus, Jubilee, Rogue and Bobby peering down at them. When they saw him, all four paled.

"You four, in the Professor's office. Now." Scott commanded. They disappeared from the window.

"We're in trouble, aren't we?" Siryn whispered. Scott heaved a sigh and nodded.

"_Big_ trouble." He affirmed, leading her towards the main doors.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Pyro turned from his stove, holding a plastic bowl of surprisingly unburned oatmeal, made straight from the packet. Kitty looked up as he walked towards her.

"You can cook?" she asked, sounding surprised.

"A little." He replied. "Easy, it might be hot." He warned as he handed her the bowl and a spoon.

"No. Really? Something that Pyro made _might_ be hot?" she asked teasingly. They laughed and then their eyes met. Her smile wavered and then vanished completely. "Uh, thanks for the breakfast." She mumbled, beginning to eat.

"Don't mention it." He replied, turning to shut off the stove. He heard a rustling at the tent entrance and whirled towards it, instinctively creating a ball of fire in his palm. Arclight blinked at him.

"Someone's jumpy." She commented. "Quill says to tell you that the sparring ring is free."

"OK….." Pyro said slowly, not getting the point.

"He wants to watch you spar with her." Arclight said, nodding towards Kitty.

"Today?" he asked. She nodded. "Tell him that she's not ready to spar. The kid had the crap beaten out of her, for heaven's sake!"

"I'm just telling you what he said." Arclight defended with a helpless shrug.

"What'd he say?" asked a voice. Quill shoved his way past his fellow mutant and into the tent.

"I said you're gonna be waiting a long time if you expect to see her out in the near future." Pyro growled.

"Awww. Is the kitten still sick?" Quill asked Kitty mockingly. Pyro stepped in between them.

"Yeah, she is. Now get out." He commanded.

"Magneto is going to want to see her when he gets back!" the Asian protested.

"Magneto put her in my care. If I say that she's still sick and isn't going out to spar, then she isn't. Now both of you: Get Out!" Pyro barked. Arclight vanished and Quill, after a glare at Kitty, followed.

"Thanks." Kitty said quietly after a minute.

"You're welcome."

"Um, I think that you can…..uh….extinguish your hand now." She said. He blinked at her. _What is she talking about?_ He looked down and saw a flame the size of a volleyball dangling from his hand. Oh. He extinguished it. Then he looked at Kitty and was confused to see her smiling, clearly trying to hold in a burst of laughter.

"What?" he asked.

"I'm sorry." She said, laughing. "You just looked so funny, staring him down with that huge thing at your side, like a guard dog!" Pyro realized the humor of this and laughed, too. The two of them stopped laughing and grinned at each other. Pyro studied her. She was pretty, with brown hair, dancing brown eyes and a cute, quirky smile, the kind that told you something was up. _Get a grip, Pyro! She's your hostage!_ An inner voice screamed. Pyro blinked and then was himself again.

"Uh, if you want, you can take a shower. The back entrance is just out behind the tent." He said, suddenly aware of her torn and dirty clothes.

"Right outside? How elegant." She commented. Pyro grinned.

"Well, you get certain privileges when you're the third-in-command." He said with mock seriousness.

"_Third_-in-command?" Kitty asked. "Wow. I didn't know that my caretaker was so high up on the food chain." Then they both dissolved in laughter. Pyro grabbed a towel, a bucket of toiletries and a robe.

"Here. You can get your clothes cleaned and dried while you're washing up." She nodded and he turned his back while she changed into the robe, being a gentleman and not looking.

"All done." She said. He turned and she handed him her clothes. Pyro couldn't help but stare. Even wearing the simple robe, she was beautiful. She'd finally taken her hair out of that half ponytail and it looked great. Pyro shook himself and took the clothes. "Now, don't scorch my clothes." Kitty said, shaking a reproving finger in his face. He smiled.

"Cross my heart." He promised. She chuckled and went to the showers. He watched her go and sighed. This assignment was getting harder and harder.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"This is it." Storm said, looking at the apartment number. Logan nodded and pounded on the door.

"Jonas Wilson! Open up!" he barked. Silence, and then Logan's heightened sense of hearing picked up a metallic noise: the sound of a shotgun cocking. "Look out!" he barked at Storm, bulling her to one side as the first shot sprayed through the door. With a snarl, Logan leapt up and kicked the door down. A small, skinny guy froze in the process of reloading. The next thing the poor guy knew, he was dangling a good foot above the floor, gripped by the scruff of his neck.

"Let go!" he shrieked.

"You know," Logan said. "I wouldn't really be mad if you shot at me. I'm used to people shooting at me. But to shoot at her," Here he turned his captive to see Storm, who stood in the doorway, looking flustered. "That's just downright un-neighborly."

"Wh-What do you want?" the guy whimpered.

"Information." Logan growled. "Yesterday you and a few buddies ran into some mutants. We want details."

"Let me down and I'll talk!" The man landed in a recliner. "OK, so, we were all comin' home from Joe's Bar. We were all wasted and we saw this girl leaving a store. Pretty innocent lookin', but Sam says she's one of the mutants. We grabbed her and started roughing her up, and then outta nowhere these three guys show up (actually one of 'em was a girl, I think) and just give us h---! No reason! I guess they were mutants who got mad that we had their mutant friend. I managed to crawl away and just took off. I figured that they'd kill each other and not care about me." Logan grabbed the man by the throat.

"Think again, dirtbag! When you said that you were 'roughing her up', what you _really_ mean is that you were beating a _teenaged kid_ to a pulp!" Jonas glared at him.

"She was a mutant!" he said defensively. Storm's eyes turned white in anger and Logan glowered at the gang member.

"Guess what, bub?" he snarled before extending his claws. "So are we." With a yell, Jonas leapt up and tried to bolt. Logan's claws in his chest stopped him in his tracks. Sheathing the bloody metal, the mutants looked down at the former thug. "You messed with the wrong girl." Logan told the still form as they walked out.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Scott and the five miscreants were in the Professor's office.

"We were just trying to help!" Rogue protested. "We wanted to find out if Kitty's OK!"

"You guys aren't the only ones who care about her!" Jubilee snapped.

"Enough!" the Professor said sternly. "I know that you _meant_ well, but you could've been severely hurt."

"We were careful!" Bobby insisted.

"Siryn's fall from the window certainly proves that wrong." Scott said dryly, looking at the girl who sat in his lap.

"It was a fluke." Jubilee mumbled.

"That 'fluke' could've been just the beginning." The Professor argued. "You don't know who could have taken Kitty or why. You wouldn't have been able to accomplish anything except to delay us in our search for Kitty by forcing us to stop and look for _you_. And if, by some random chance, you _do_ find out who's holding her, what then? You're still in training, you don't know how to plan an attack! You would've been captured right along with her, provided they don't kill you outright. Then the place where you were being held would be moved so that we could never find you!" All the students went pale and the Professor's tone softened. "I appreciate that you want to help your classmate. That alone tells me that you've been listening to all the lectures on teamwork. But," he added, when Jubilee smirked. "It was also reckless and immature. For now, all of you are to stay in your rooms until this is all over. After that, I _might_ let you off with a warning. But I wouldn't count on it. So, no more tricks, no more lying, no more trying to escape, and _no more_ secret meetings. Do I make myself clear?" The teens either nodded or mumbled their agreement and went to go to bed. Scott looked down at Siryn in his lap and wasn't surprised to see her asleep. Hiding a smile, he picked her up and started upstairs. Halfway to the door, he turned to the Professor.

"Hopefully that convinced them." He said. The Professor closed his eyes and then sighed.

"I doubt that." He said, pride evident in his voice. Scott nodded and headed upstairs, Siryn in his arms. She stirred as he laid her down.

"Is the lecture over yet?" she whispered sleepily. Scott nodded and tucked her in.

"Yeah, it is. Get some sleep." He replied, turning out the light before exiting.

**A/N: I hope you guys like this chapter as much as you've liked the other two. Reviews are always welcome, but no pressure. Cheers!**


	4. Chapter 4

Disclaimer: I don't own anything in this fanfic except for the sarcasm. Nothing else. There.

A/N: Kudos to all who have stuck by me so far! Keep up the good work!

The White House, Washington D.C.

Hank McCoy watched carefully for the President's reaction after he'd been informed that a mutant had been missing.

"Which one?" asked Senator Green, sitting on Hank's right. The president looked at him irritably.

"Does it matter?" he asked. "A mutant is missing!"

"Which one?" Green persisted. Hank sighed.

"Katherine Pryde, aka Shadowcat." He replied. "She has the ability to phase through solid matter, taking others with her, and she can absorb energy blasts." Green nodded.

"I'll call the local news anchors, Mr. President. They can issue an order to all policemen to bring her into custody." He said. Hank and the president stared at him.

"What are you talking about?" the president asked.

"We can assume that Pryde has disappeared either because she was kidnapped or because she went rogue. If she was kidnapped, no doubt her kidnappers want her to rob a bank or kill someone. And if she went rogue, she's going to be trouble." Green said matter-of-factly. Hank growled warningly.

"Mr. McCoy, please." The president said wearily. "Senator Green, with all due respect, what you're suggesting is unfounded and unreasonable!"

"I don't see why. The ability to phase through solid matter would be extremely useful for a would-be thief or killer."

"If you're implying that Katherine turned rogue, think again." Hank said coldly. "Professor Xavier holds her in the highest regard."

"Professor Xavier!" Green scoffed. Hank stood up, his eyes narrowing.

"I beg your pardon?" he growled.

"You're relying on a man who has the power to manipulate the minds of others, not to mention move objects with his mind!" the senator protested.

"Professor Xavier is one of the mutants leading the attempts to help mutants and humans coexist. He can be trusted!" the Beast snapped.

"Senators, please!" the president leapt in between them. "Senator Green, I have met Professor Xavier and I trust him. Mr. McCoy, please know that I hold him in the highest regard. However," he sighed. "Senator Green _does_ have a point. We may need to inform local authorities about the situation."

"Mr. President-!" Hank began.

"It's to protect the people!" the president insisted.

"Mr. President, please. Give us twenty four hours. We'll find her." Hank pleaded. After considering it, the president nodded.

"Sir!" Senator Green cried.

"The X-men have saved us countless times before!" The president barked. "I owe them at least twenty four hours."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"This sucks!" Jubilee yelled. Scott nodded absently and shut her bedroom door.

"That's life." He replied as he locked the door. The phone rang and he answered it.

"It's me." Storm said.

"Hey."

"Hey-! What's that noise?" Storm asked. Scott heaved a sigh, listening to Jubilee's temper tantrum.

"Jubilee, Bobby, Rogue, Colossus and Siryn have been trying to help us find Kitty. I just caught Jubilee trying to steal my motorcycle." He replied.

"Ah. Are they the only ones who know that Kitty's missing?"

"Yeah. They didn't tell anyone else. What've you got?"

"A witness said that Kitty was rescued from an anti-mutant group by three members of the Brotherhood: Pyro, Quill and Calypso. We're thinking that she was taken back to their camp."

"Why would they save her? None of them knew her except Pyro, and even he didn't talk to her that much."

"We're not sure. But at least now we know where to look."

"Do we?" Scott asked grimly. "Since Cerebro was destroyed, we have no way of finding any of them."

"Maybe not. We're asking around here, seeing if any members of the Brotherhood are regulars. If they are, they're nearby."

"Good luck. Want me to tell the Professor?"

"He probably already knows." Storm said with a chuckle. "But yeah." She hung up and Scott headed downstairs. He walked into the Professor's study.

"Storm just called." He announced. Xavier nodded and listened to what Storm had said.

"I see. Hank called a few minutes ago. The president has given us twenty four hours to find Kitty before he notifies the people." He replied. Scott nodded and decided to go see what damages Jubilee had caused on his bike. As he made his way towards the garage, he caught sight of someone sneaking into the kitchen. Always on the alert, he darted after them, bursting in on the suspect. Siryn looked up guiltily.

"I wasn't sneaking out!" she immediately burst out. "Well, I was sneaking out of my room and down to the kitchen, but that's it. I wasn't going to go try and look for Kitty by myself! Honest!"

"OK, I believe you." Scott said, too tired to care that she'd exited her room without permission. He sighed and sat down at the counter. Siryn joined him.

"Are you OK?" she asked, sounding a bit worried.

"I'm just tired. And worried." He replied.

"Me too." Siryn sighed. Both were silent for a few minutes, and then the young mutant let out a frustrated cry. "Aargh! I _hate_ this!" Scott looked at her, startled. Siryn wasn't usually known for her outbursts.

"Hate what?" he asked.

"_This_!" she said angrily. "I-I can't do anything to _help_! I_ never_ do anything to help! Last year, when those men came and attacked, what did I do? I sat there in my bed and screamed."

"You woke up everyone and helped them escape." Scott reminded her.

"Before getting shot, yeah!" Siryn looked like she was about to cry. Scott sighed.

"Do you want to help me?" he asked. She looked at him.

"How?"

"Well, when I'm riding my bike, I can't exactly look and drive at the same time. You can be my eyes out there. Sound like a plan?" Scott asked. Beaming, Siryn threw her arms around his neck.

"Oh yes! Thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you!" she squealed. "Let me just get dressed." She yelled as she ran towards the door. Scott smiled and went to tell the Professor.

"Good." Was the reply. "You could use some company and Siryn could use something to do."

"I do fine on my own." Scott argued. The professor just looked at him. "But…..she needs something to do." He added weakly before heading to the garage to find a spare helmet to fit the young mutant's head.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Pyro looked up as Calypso walked in, carrying a cell phone.

"Magneto." She said, handing it to him. Pyro snatched it and Calypso left.

"Yes sir?" he asked.

"I hear that your mission was a success." His mentor replied, cutting straight to the point. "You have Pryde?"

"Yeah. She's a little shaky, still. But otherwise OK."

"Shaky? Haven't you begun her training?" Magneto demanded.

"We rescued her from some thugs. They worked her over pretty bad." Pyro explained, playing with a fireball. "We're letting her rest up some."

"'Rest up'? She doesn't need time to rest up, Pyro!" Magneto snarled. "If you train someone when they're weak, that makes them as twice as strong!" _yeah, if they survive_. Pyro thought bitterly.

"But-!" he began.

"I'm going to be returning in a few days. When I come back, I want her combat ready!"

"That's too soon-!" Click Magneto had hung up. Pyro stared at the phone. _Combat ready/n a few days? Is he insane? She can't be ready by then! Not in her condition!_ Just then, Kitty walked in.

"All clean." She said with a smile. He didn't reply. "Pyro? What's wrong?" she asked, immediately concerned. _She can tell that something's wrong? Am I that readable?_ In reply, he held up the phone. "Who was on the phone?"

"Magneto. He wants you combat ready by the time he gets back." Pyro replied glumly. Kitty stared at him and then nodded.

"Where are my clothes?" she asked. "I'll be ready in five minutes." He stared blankly at her.

"What?" he asked.

"If I'm not combat ready by then, Magneto's going to be ticked off…..at you. If I am combat ready, you don't get into trouble." She said firmly. "So let's make sure that I'm combat ready."

"You'd do that for me?" he asked, surprised. She smiled.

"You're the only friend I've got here." She pointed out. Then, to Pyro's shock, she hastily kissed his cheek and whispered, "Thank you" before grabbing her clothes and going off to get dressed. Pyro stared after her, his fingers brushing his cheek. He'd felt fire at its hottest, the blue flame's heat. But never in his life had he ever felt anything that burned like that kiss.

**A/N: There. I updated. Hopefully you guys are happy now. Ha-ha, jk, I don't mind updating. Enjoy this chapter and please review!**


	5. Chapter 5

Disclaimer: I don't own anything in this fanfiction. Savvy?

A/N: Thanks to all for reviewing and such. That was really encouraging.

"He's only giving us twenty-four hours?" the Professor frowned. Hank simply shrugged.

"That's the best I could do, under the circumstances. Senator Green believes that Katherine is a threat to national security." He replied.

"And the president believed him?" Xavier asked. Hank sighed.

"I don't know. While he agrees that Kitty is on the right side, I think that Senator Green and his party are putting a lot of pressure on the President right now, what with the upcoming election." He replied.

"Hmmm." Was the reply. Just then, the door opened and Scott walked in, carrying a sleeping Siryn. He nodded to them and then took her upstairs. When he returned, he collapsed into a chair, exhausted.

"Did you find anything?" Xavier asked him. With a sigh, Scott shook his head. "The president has given us twenty-four hours to find Kitty before he notifies the public." Scott sat up, looking suddenly alert.

"Notifies them? Of what?" he asked. Hank quickly filled him in. "That's crazy! No one could ever _force_ Kitty to do anything! She'd rather die than break a law."

"Perhaps, but people know a lot of ways to cause pain." The professor said grimly.

"So do we." Hank said firmly. "And heaven knows that we'll cause some if anything has happened to Kitty!"

"Something already has." Scott said gloomily. He explained how Logan and Storm had found out about the attack.

"Where there any survivors?" the professor asked. Scott shook his head.

"Good." Hank growled. "If there were, I'd be on my way to find them by now." Scott smiled.

"So would I." he said softly.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Logan walked out of a store, carrying a bag of groceries in one hand. Behind him, an elderly woman walked with her arms full of packages. Almost without thinking, the muscular mutant grabbed the door on its backswing and held it open for her, nodding at her thanks. He sighed, pulled his leather jacket more snugly around his body, and then walked back towards the Pryde residence to get Storm. Mr. and Mrs. Pryde had graciously offered the two mutants a place to stay while they helped find their daughter. Storm and Mrs. Pryde were in the kitchen when he walked in, setting the bag of groceries down on the counter.

"Thank you, Professor Logan." Kitty's mother said gratefully. Logan nodded and then Storm pulled him into another room.

"According to a mailman I ran into earlier, most of the people who live in the town go to one place at least once: The Marketplace." She said in a hushed voice. Logan looked at the slip of paper.

"Let's go."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Colossus lay in his bed, staring up at the ceiling. He'd heard Professor Summers bringing in Siryn and putting her to bed. Now, he couldn't hear anything. ….And it was driving him nuts. The silence was filled in by the sounds in his head. He remembered the attack from last year:

_He'd immediately known when the screaming had stopped, that something bad had happened to Siryn. Something horrible. Sure enough, when he'd gone into her room, two men were picking her up in a fashion similar to the way two dock workers handle a sack of potatoes. It'd made his blood boil. They were big, tough soldiers, and they were going after an eleven year old. Cowards. Before he'd know what he was doing, he'd thrown them through a wall. Then he'd picked up Siryn and charged into the hallway, herding kids to safety. When he finally made it out, carrying an unconscious Jones, he saw that his group had joined another. At that group's head……was Kitty Pryde. Colossus didn't really know that much about her. She was supposedly a bookworm, who was always studying. He'd had a few classes together, but they'd never really talked much. Kids didn't really praise her for her strength and leadership. Yet here she was, leading a group of scared mutants to safety. She'd looked up and caught his eye, and then made her way over to him. When she'd reached him, her immediate instinct was to lay a hand on Jones' neck, feeling for a pulse._

"_He's fine." Colossus had told her. She nodded._

"_There's a cave a ways into the woods. We can hide there." She'd replied. So they did, staying in the cave, ignoring hunger pains, until the adults came._

Colossus angrily punched his bed. It bounced a bit, but otherwise went on living its matressy life. Colossus got up and went to his bookshelf. There were only a few books on there, so it was easy enough to find the one he was looking for: last year's yearbook. He turned on his lamp and flipped through it. There was her picture. And her quote was? The old "if not us, who? If not now, when?" quote by Ronald Reagan. Colossus sighed. That sounded so much like her.

"Where are you, Kitty?" he muttered. "Don't worry. We'll get you back." He promised her picture. Suddenly tired, he turned off his lamp and went back to sleep.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

The woods were quiet, peaceful. Except for in the middle of the camp. There, several mutants were waiting, anxious to see what would happen. Standing in a ring outlined by a rope, Kitty faced Pyro. Eyeing the crowd, she grimaced.

"I'm not sure I can do this." She admitted.

"Relax. I'll be there every step of the way." He promised. "Ready?" Though she still looked uncertain, she nodded. Pyro stepped back and then unleashed a flame. It was small and slow, easy for her to dodge. Kitty dropped into the ground. Everyone started looking around, wondering where she was. Pyro bit his lip. Kitty wouldn't try to escape, would she? _No, she wouldn't. She knows that your butt's on the line. She wouldn't just leave you. She promised!_ He tried to convince himself. A hand suddenly grabbed his ankle and yanked. He hit the ground with an "oof!" that took his breath away. He looked up and was relieved to see Kitty floating up from the ground, smiling at him. She held out a hand and pulled him to his feet. The crowd clapped and cheered. It'd been a good match.

"Finish it!" roared a voice so suddenly that everyone jumped. Quill stepped forward.

"What?" Kitty asked.

"I said finish it, Kitten. War's not going to end when you pin him. This isn't wrestling, this is life." He retorted. "Finish it!"

"How?" Kitty cried. Quill snorted.

"You have the power to faze his heart right out of his body. Do it!" he commanded. Kitty didn't move.

"Just because I have the power, doesn't mean that I will." She replied before turning to leave the ring. Quill's eyes blazed.

"I said _finish it_!!" he roared, shooting a spike after her. Pyro saw it; Kitty didn't.

"Watch out!" he yelled, shoving her out of the way. There was a sharp pain in his arm, just above the elbow. He dropped to his knees, overwhelmed by the hurt.

"Pyro!" Kitty screamed, rushing to his side. "Oh my gosh." She breathed, staring at the spike sticking out of his arm. Pyro clenched his teeth, unsure if he was more angry that he'd been hurt by a supposed teammate, or that he'd been hurt at all.

"What the h--- were you thinking?" he ground out, glowering at Quill, who didn't look all that upset.

"She needs to be ready to fight to the death. To kill." He replied nonchalantly.

"How about I start with you?" demanded a voice that didn't sound at all like Kitty. It was too…….too scary. Pyro looked at her. She looked like she was ready to kill. Her eyes were blazing with hatred and her fists were clenched. Quill smirked.

"You want to show your claws, Kitten?" he asked with a sneer. Kitty stood up and stood in front of Pyro.

"Bring it on, Porcupine."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"Anything yet?" Logan asked as Storm walked up to him. Sighing, his fellow mutant shook her head. He nodded and headed towards a store, slipping in almost undetected. The store clerk, a small, skinny little man, looked up.

"Can I help you?" he asked, something in his tone making Logan want to slam him onto the counter.

"I'm looking for someone." He said, ignoring the urge. "Have you seen any of these guys before?" He tossed blurry photos of Quill and Callisto down, along with John Allerdyce's school photo. The clerk looked at them.

"Nope." He said in a tight voice.

"Really? Are you sure?" Logan asked.

"Positive." Was the reply. The clerk looked at him. "Now, if there wasn't anything else……."

"Look, I just want to ask these guys a few questions." Logan assured him.

"I don't care. I haven't seen them, all right? Now why don't you skedaddle on out of here and go ask someone who actually _has_ seen them?"

"Why don't you take another look." The tall mutant suggested. The clerk's face turned bright red.

"Look, buddy, I haven't seen those guys, all right? Now get out of my store!" As he said this, he came around the counter and grabbed Logan's arm. Bad idea. In a flash, Logan had him pinned against the wall, three razor sharp claws at his throat.

"Those guys kidnapped a kid I know. I kinda liked her, and I want to know where she is. So this is what's going to happen: You're going to talk, and you're not going to leave anything out." The Wolverine growled.

"And if I do?" the man challenged. Logan's claws tickled his stomach, right over his belly button.

"I've got time." Was the growled reply.

**A/N: Here you go! As always, thanks for replying, and I hope you enjoy this chapter!**


	6. Chapter 6

**Disclaimer: I don't own X-men, which is a good thing, seeing as I'd get confused by all their different powers.**

**A/N: Sorry for the delay, but life has been busy. Thanks for being patient with me!**

Storm looked around the crowded marketplace. No sign of anyone dangerous. _And no sign of Logan, _she realized with a start. Biting her lip, she immediately called his cellphone. No answer. D---. Swallowing her edginess, Storm began making her way through the marketplace, searching for her mutant companion. _We've been here almost an hour, and if he slipped off when we first arrived………_Storm shut down the thought. Not that she was worried about him. No, she was more worried about the people who he was with.

----

Kitty landed on the ground, hard. She lay there, panting. Quill stood over her, taunting her.

"Get up, Kitten!" he barked. "C'mon, you said you wanted to end this! I'm here, you're here! Bring it on, _Shadowcat_!" A rush of heat flared through Kitty. _He did not just call me that. Only one person calls me that. _She suddenly wasn't in the woods, being mocked by an enemy. She was back in training with Logan. He was yelling at her, repeating instructions that he'd said over and over again. Kitty couldn't hear him, but she knew what he was saying. She placed her palms flat on the ground and then shoved, up and to the left. Her body jumped up and spun like a top, and she gave Quill a double footed kick the face before landing in a crouch and kicking his legs out from under him. Then she stood up and slammed her boot into his gut when he tried to fight back. He scrambled up, eyes blazing, but Kitty simply booted him in the chest before kneeling down beside him.

"Only Pyro calls me 'Shadowcat'!" she rasped, phasing her hand through his chest to grab his heart. It pounded and throbbed in her hand, showing the other mutant's fear. Quill glowered defiantly at her.

"Do it!" he snarled. Kitty clenched her jaw and then looked up. Her brown eyes found Pyro, standing in the crowd, one hand pressing down on his wound. He caught her eye and gave a single shake of his head. Kitty swallowed and then looked down at her enemy.

"There's only one difference between you and me," she told him. He stared at her blankly. "I don't kill people." She growled before standing up and walking away.

----

Logan's phone buzzed and vibrated, nearly falling off the counter. Logan ignored it, glaring daggers at the store clerk, who was now tied to his own desk chair.

"Look, I don't know what you want me to say, all right?" he asked. "Yeah, your mutant friends come here every once in a while. That's all I know."

"How were they behaving?"

"I don't know! They act like mutants act!" the man protested. Logan looked up sharply.

"Like mutants act?" he repeated. "How the h--- do you know how a mutant acts?" he demanded. The man's face gave it all away: He'd been caught. He opened his mouth to give an excuse, but then he saw something over his shoulder that made him happy. Very happy. Logan whirled, ready for a fight. He lost, however, which in itself is a landmark in the history of mutant kind. A huge fist slammed into his fist and he dropped to the ground. His opponent, a tall, fat man, grinned down at him.

"We meet again, Wolverine." He grunted. Behind him, a tall man in a maroon cloak smiled.

"Well done." He said to the man before looking at the bound clerk. "Where is the other one?"

"Other one? I don't know. He came in alone!" the man protested. Sighing, the cloaked man nodded to his companion, who slugged the clerk. Then he looked at his master. The cloaked man nodded towards the limp mutant on the floor.

"Bring him with us. If the girl proves to be too strong-willed for us, we can always use her to get Wolverine on our side." He commanded. The huge man nodded and then lifted the limp form onto his shoulders.

-----

Pyro watched as Kitty turned her back on Quill, struggling to keep the triumphant grin off of his face. The crowd dispersed, some helping Quill up and hurrying him away. Kitty walked over to him. He smiled at her.

"Good job." He said, winking to show that he meant this in two different ways. She nodded and then suddenly hugged him. Pyro was only slightly startled, and then he relaxed and hugged her back. She pulled away, sniffling slightly and nodded towards his arm.

"Don't you need to get that looked at?" she asked. He shrugged.

"I'll be okay." He said flippantly. Wrong thing to say, he could see it in her eyes. She grabbed his uninjured arm and pulled him back to the tent. Once inside, she shoved him down on the cot and then – after some searching – uncovered a first aid kit. Then she started to help bandage his arm up. He winced only a little as she applied the antibiotic stuff.

"Do you guys ever use this stuff?" she demanded. "Seriously, this is like, ancient!"

"We don't generally get a call for it." Pyro grunted. Kitty raised an eyebrow at him.

"Oh, so, what? You're too tough and manly for this kind of stuff?" she asked.

"We don't usually get hurt."

"You're so modest," She grunted.

"Magneto teaches us to be strong, to not feel pain." He insisted.

"That's stupid."

"Kitty." Pyro said warningly.

"Everyone feels pain, Pyro. It's a fact of life, get used to it." She snapped, tightening the bandages. He winced again. "Oh, what, does that hurt? You're not feeling pain, are you?" she asked sarcastically.

"I said that was what Magneto teaches us." He said as she packed up the kit. "I didn't say we obeyed it to the letter." Her eyes met his and she sighed before sitting beside him.

"Can I ask you something?" she asked after a pause.

"Would I stop you?" he asked teasingly.

"What happened with Quill….does that mean that I'm turning….evil?" she asked, looking both scared and distressed. He smiled and then brushed back a strand of her hair.

"You could never be evil." He assured her. "Trust me." She smiled and then their eyes locked. Without even thinking, Pyro leaned down and kissed her. Before he could mentally kick himself for doing such a stupid thing, he realized that she was kissing him back. The tent flap rustled a bit and they sprang apart. Callisto entered just then and Pyro breathed a swift sigh of relief. _Thank God she didn't come in a few seconds ago,_ he thought gratefully.

"What's going on?" he asked, trying to sound authoritative. Callisto looked from him to Kitty and frowned. "Callisto, what is it?" he barked. She jumped a bit and then answered.

"It-it's Magneto. He's back." She said.

**Yay, I updated! Kudos to me! Lol, once again, sorry for the delay, but life is life. Enjoy and please don't forget to review!**


	7. Chapter 7

**Disclaimer: I don't own X-men. ANY of them. (Seriously, there are a lot of them!) Please don't sue.**

**A/N: Thanks for all of your reviews.**

Pyro stepped into the tent. Magneto looked up.

"You wanted to see me?" the youth asked.

"Quill has given me his report. He believes that you and Kitty work well together."

"Really?" Pyro asked, startled. Magneto nodded.

"He recommends that I remove you from the field until Kitty is fully combat ready."

"She can fight." Pyro argued.

"Can she kill?" Magneto countered. Pyro was silent. "We cannot show mercy. Mercy is weakness, Pyro!"

"It takes a lot of courage to turn your back to your enemy." The fire wielding mutant heard himself say. _Where did _that_ come from?_

"That sounds a lot like Charles Xavier's philosophy!" Magneto barked. "That is not what we believe! Get out!" Pyro walked back to the tent. He stopped outside the door, realization hitting him.

"We were wrong." He stepped inside the tent. Kitty stood up.

"What did he want?" she asked.

"I've been demoted to babysitter." He told her. She rubbed her arms and bit her lip. "What is it?" he asked.

"He's here." She whispered. "Juggernaut."

"So?"

"He was caught in my neighborhood. I-I saw him being led off when I was home for spring break. He was screaming all kinds of horrible things about how humans should be annihilated. A-About how people like my parents should be annihilated…….."

"Shhhhh." Pyro said soothingly, pulling her into a hug. "No one's going to hurt your parents. OK? It's going to be OK." She nodded and rested her cheek against his jacket.

----------

"Now we can't find Logan." Xavier said. "Storm just called and he's missing."

"He'll show up." Scott said dismissively. He and Hank were in the Professor's office.

"I'm not so sure." The professor said, sounding worried. "Hank, I want you and Scott to go find Storm. Help her find Logan.

"I still say he's fine." Scott muttered as they walked out. Xavier sighed and faced the window.

"What're you up to, Eric?"

----------

Kitty stared up at the roof of the tent. She never thought that she would be thinking about how used to this tent she was getting. Pyro was pacing, trying to think. Kitty saw how worried he looked and smiled. He was so different from the others. So kind, so sweet, so cute……._Get a grip, Kitty! This is the guy who betrayed Bobby! ………And Rogue._ Her brain added. Kitty sighed. She liked Rogue okay. It's just……..she missed her best friend. They'd stuck together first year of school, both newcomers. After that, it was like they were related. Then Rogue had showed up and swept Bobby away. Now it was like she was the little sister, pestering him when she asked him a question. He still cared, just not as much.

"I think I can steal a truck." Pyro said suddenly. Kitty blinked at him.

"What?" she asked blankly.

"I can steal a truck. You can drive, can't you?" he asked.

"I got my license about a month ago."

"Good." He said, beginning to pace again.

"Pyro?" Kitty asked, sitting up on the cot.

"Yeah?" he asked distractedly.

"_Why_ are you stealing a truck?"

"So that you can go back to the School." He answered, as if it were the most normal thing in the world for him to steal a truck for a girl he'd helped to kidnap.

"You're helping me escape." Kitty realized.

"Uh-huh." Pyro came over and sat on the cot. "I'll give you a map. We're not that far from the School, and it's pretty much a straight shot. Do you think you can drive there on your own?" Kitty stared at him and then leaned forward and kissed him. His arms slowly slid around her shoulders and he kissed her back. A twig snapped and they sprang apart. _Déjà vu._ Kitty thought, remembering how Callisto had interrupted them the last time they'd kissed. The tent flap was yanked back and a familiar huge man stomped into the tent. Juggernaut! Kitty let out an involuntary squeak and Pyro stood in front of her. The other mutant ignored them and dumped the thing he was carrying on the ground before walking out. No, it wasn't a thing, Kitty realized. It was a person. It was……..She gasped and ran over to him.

"Kitty?" Pyro asked. "What is it?" She rolled the person over. He stirred slightly and cracked one eye open to look at her.

"Hey kid." He mumbled before passing out.

"Oh no." Kitty moaned, both hands over her mouth. "Logan!"

**Sorry this chapter is so short, hopefully this will satisfy you guys until my muse kicks in again. Please review and enjoy!**


	8. Chapter 8

**Disclaimer: I don't own X-men. Marvel does……whoever that is.**

**A/N: Thanks to everyone for their help! I'm not sure which ideas I'm going to be using, I just know that I'm updating. So, hopefully that will suffice.**

"So you have no idea where he'd go?" Scott asked. Storm resisted the urge to roll her eyes. The three of them were in the marketplace, amidst masses of shoppers.

"This is _Logan_ we're talking about, Scott." She retorted. "He doesn't usually play by the rules."

"And no one has seen him?"

"No." Storm said firmly before sighing. "I'm worried." Hank laid a hand on her shoulder.

"We'll figure this out, Storm." He promised.

"Let's go back to the Pryde's house." Scott suggested. "Maybe they've heard something." His companions nodded and moved towards the edge of the market.

------------------------------------------------------

"Oh no." Kitty murmured, over and over again. "Oh no, oh no, oh no……"

"It'll be okay." Pyro told her. She either didn't hear him or was ignoring him.

"They kidnapped him, Pyro!" she burst out, sounding close to tears. "They took Logan!"

"I know."

"What do we do?"

"Let me think for a second, OK?" he asked, trying not to sound annoyed. Sighing, he began to pace again. Kitty was still kneeling by the immobile Logan, her brown eyes riveted on him. "OK, what about this: We continue with our plan, we just add Logan to it. He can drive, so once he wakes up, he can take the two of you back to the mansion."

"He's not going to trust you." Kitty said, the words flying out of her mouth before she could think. Pyro stared at her and then chuckled.

"You're right. Logan didn't trust me even when I was on the right side." He said. The tent flap was pulled back just then and Arclight stepped in.

"How's the big one?" she asked.

"Still unconscious." Pyro replied, noticing out of the corner of his eye that Kitty was glaring at the other mutant.

"Huh. You'd think he'd wake up by now." Arclight commented. "I'll tell Juggernaut."

"Why does he want to know?"

"He just said that Magneto wants to use Wolverine for something."

"What about Kitty?" Pyro asked. Arclight shrugged.

"I don't know. Maybe she's leverage or something." She suggested before leaving. Kitty's eyes were blazing.

"_Leverage_?" she spat. "_That's _what I am?"

"Easy." Pyro warned.

"The Brotherhood is a bunch of jerks." She muttered. "Present company excluded, of course."

"Thanks." Pyro said. Just then, Logan stirred. His eyes snapped open and he sat out, unsheathing his claws instinctively.

"It's me!" Kitty cried before the six deadly claws could find a target. Logan stared at her and then sheathed them.

"Hey." He said quietly.

"Hey." Kitty replied.

"You caused us quite a scare, kid."

"Sorry."

"You OK?"

"Yeah."

Logan noticed Pyro and stood with a snarl. Kitty leapt in between them.

"Logan, back off!" she said. "He's on our side." Logan eyed Pyro suspiciously.

"That a one hundred percent guarantee?" he growled.

"The truck's waiting." The fire wielding mutant said, ignoring the insult. "You two should go. You feel like driving?" he asked Logan.

"If it means getting the h---- out of here." Wolverine grunted. Pyro nodded.

"It does." He said confidently. Logan nodded.

"Then yeah, I feel like driving." He said.

---------------------------------------------------------------

"As of this moment, we have no idea where Logan is." Hank said on the phone. Professor Xavier sighed.

"I was afraid of that. Magneto must have him. But why would he need Logan when he has Kitty?"

"Maybe he wanted Logan in the first place."

"Maybe……..keep looking." The professor ordered. Hank agreed and hung up before turning to Scott and Storm.

"He wants us to keep looking." He repeated. The two of them nodded and then all three went inside to talk to Mr. and Mrs. Pryde. Unknown to them all, Hank's private cellphone, the one used only for the President, the one that he'd left in the car, was ringing.

-------------------------------------------------------------------

Logan inspected the truck. She'd run, probably long enough for them to get to safety, before dying. He hopped into the driver's seat and tentatively turned the key. To his surprise, the truck was almost quiet. It was quiet enough that no one would be able to hear it, which was the good thing. Logan turned it off and leaned back to wait for Kitty. She didn't seem any worse for wear after her ordeal. She'd probably been put through all kinds of crazy tests, though. So the question was how was she OK? He heard voices and looked up just in time to see Kitty and Pyro kiss. Logan's heart leapt into his throat. What was she doing? He was the enemy! He'd betrayed them! Kitty said something to the other mutant before running over and climbing into the truck. Logan didn't say anything, just nodded to Pyro and drove off.

"So," he began finally. "You and Pyro, are you two…?"

"Yeah." She answered softly. "You don't like it, do you?"

"He betrayed us, kid."

"He protected me, Logan. He's helping us escape."

"And that makes it all better for you?"

"Yes! He's different, Logan? OK? He cares about me!"

"Is that because of you or because you're valuable to them?" Logan asked coldly. Kitty stared at him, her eyes brimming with tears.

"_You're _the one who's in love with Jean Grey!" she shouted. Logan's jaw dropped. How could she say that? It was a completely different story………wasn't it? He opened his mouth to say something, but couldn't think of anything. So they were both quiet.

-----------------------------------------------------------------

The President sighed and hung up the phone.

"Still no answer."

"Mr. President, I think we both know what must be done." Senator Green said. "Mr. McCoy knew the time limit."

"Maybe another hour-!" the president began.

"Sir, you said 24 hours. The time is up. We need to take action." Green urged. Sitting down in his chair, the president buried his face in his hands.

"Do it." He ordered. Senator Green nodded and hurried out. He pulled out a cellphone and called someone.

"It's me. We have a green light. Take the school……….Yes, I'm sure. If the mutants are really planning something, we need to stop them, put the cork in the bottle! Take the school, and remember: We need them alive, but do what you have to do."

**Hopefully you guys like this chapter! Please R&R!**


	9. Chapter 9

**Disclaimer: I don't own X-men.**

**A/N: Hey all. Thanks so much for all of your support. I'm saddened to say this, but I do believe that I've found the perfect way to end this fanfiction. So, enjoy the final chapter in "Sick but Beautiful".**

Pyro paced in his tent, thinking. He had to leave now, to get out, before he went too far. But if he left, Magneto would realize what was up. He had to do something that would distract the others, possibly think he'd been killed. But what? An idea suddenly struck him. It was so ridiculous, so insane……..that he smiled.

------------------------------------------------

Senator Green looked up as his cellphone rang. He grabbed it.

"Yes? Do you have the school?" he demanded eagerly.

"Not exactly." Said a voice.

"Who is this?"

"My name is John Allerdyce. You know me better as 'Pyro'."

"What do you want? How did you get this number?"

"How I'm calling is not important. It's what I've got to say."

"What is that?"

"How would you like the opportunity to arrest Magneto and all of the Brotherhood? Myself excluded, of course."

"What do you get?"

"Freedom. I'm sick of answering to that Nazi freak. All I need you to do for me is to dump a body near the site and then blow it up so that they'll think I'm dead."

"Our troops are otherwise engaged at the moment."

"With what? Going after Xavier's X-men. Hah, good luck with that."

"So you give me the location of Magneto and all I have to do is fake your death?"

"That's it."

"Deal!" Senator Green cried, his eyes gleaming.

----------------------------------------------------------

A man was creeping stealthily towards the school. A young girl of about eleven was standing in the yard, watching some birds. The man smiled grimly. That was the Screamer. She'd busted two men's eardrums during the attack last year with her voice. The man readied his rifle. His eardrums were going to stay intact.

"Abort!" squawked a voice in his ear. "We have new coordinates!" The man pressed the "Talk" button on his radio.

"Say again."

"We have the Brotherhood's coordinates! We're going after them instead!"

"Give me the coordinates." The man said, turning from the redhead and hurrying away.

----------------------------------------------------------

Siryn looked up as she heard a loud racket. It sounded like someone was shaking a bag of pots and pans. She squinted at the front gate. An old red truck was coming into the driveway. It stopped and two familiar figures hopped out. Siryn let out a shriek.

"KITTY!!!!!!!!!!!!" Everyone either came outside or stuck their heads out of windows and cheered as Kitty hugged Siryn and walked towards the school, Logan following. The door opened and the Professor, Scott, Storm, Hank, Bobby, Rogue, Piotr and Jubilee all ran out. Kitty was hugged by everyone at least a dozen times, if not more. Suddenly, Danny ran out. He hugged Kitty as he said to the Professor,

"Come see the news." They all went inside and crowded into the den.

"In other news, local authorities have arrested and imprisoned nearly all of the mutants associated with the Brotherhood of Mutants, a rogue group that have been set on exterminating humans at any cost………." Kitty felt her jaw drop.

"Whoa!" Bobby exclaimed. "I wonder who tipped them off."

"Yeah." Said a voice behind them. "I wonder that, too." Everyone turned. Leaning in the doorway was a tired but happy Pyro. With a cry, Kitty ran over to him, throwing her arms around his neck. He hugged her back, glad to be free. There was silence and then Bobby walked up to the pair.

"John." He said in a cool voice. Kitty frowned but Pyro stepped forward to meet his former best friend.

"Bobby." He replied. "I was also wondering if you'd let me come back."

"That's the Professor's decision." Bobby said coldly.

"I know that, but I don't want to stay unless we can be friends again." Pyro said, his fists clenched. There was a long pause, and then Bobby held out his hand. Looking relieved, Pyro shook it. Bobby grinned.

"Welcome home."

**How's that? Is it a good ending? I hope you like it! Let me know!**


End file.
